Krung Thai Banks shows results of the survey revealing confidence of entrepreneurs has dropped in the first quarter due to patrol price, the disaster happening in Japan, and floods among southern areas. However, the confidence index is still higher than normal consecutively for period of the seventh quarter, as for survey results of future confidence index in the next three months; it will be higher than that of the current. The reason is that businesspersons believe that the negative factors are only temporary, as well as, Thai economic foundation is robust.

Ms. Patcharasiri Kiatkumjai, Senior Executive Vice President, Managing Director, Risk Management Group, Krung Thai Bank PCL. discloses about the results of conducting the Krung Thai Business Index (KTBI), showing confidence of over 2,000 entrepreneurs in every sector as well as every business size nationwide, It is shown that KTBI in the first quarter of 2011, which was conducted in March, has dropped to 52.51 from 55.69 in the previous quarter since patrol price rise caused by the increasingly serious riot in Libya, Tsunami aftermaths and the flood in the south which would have a negative impact on the output, purchasing power, and the overall economy.

Nevertheless, the index remains higher than usual consecutively for period of the seventh quarter, reflecting that entrepreneurs’ anticipation that the business would continuously expand itself. Besides, it is predicted that index in the next three months will be higher than that of the current indicating positive outlook towards business environment in the future.

Ms. Patcharasiri Kiatkumjai further states that since the public and private sectors fully and quickly relieve the inflicted, as well as, providing accurate information on incurred effects, these situations would not be permanent as entrepreneurs would ease their tension and the confidence will be soon recovered. Moreover, Thai economic foundation is strong because agricultural, labor, government official, and import sectors are continuously expanding and there is an opportunity to import Thai goods to substitute for Japanese goods, especially, foods.